


Non Sexual Intimate Acts Ficlets

by thraxbaby



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Ficlet, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2019-02-09 09:12:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12884697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thraxbaby/pseuds/thraxbaby
Summary: I found a list of non sexual intimate acts and am determined to write my apprentices doing all of them with my favorite Arcana characters.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Even though Asra uses male pronouns in the story, I heard they should have used they/them? So I used it here. Hope I got it right!

Finding the other wearing their clothes

\---------------------

Asra sat at the kitchen table, sipping from a cup of tea. The sun was rising and soon, it will be streaming into the window of the bedroom they shared with Amber. He could see it now: she'll come into the kitchen, blurry-eyed and messy-haired, complaining that they needed thicker curtains. Asra chuckled softly to themself. She was so cute in the morning. They'd then pass her a cup of tea to hold her over until they could get breakfast made. 

"Asra, we need thicker curtains." A voice grumbled. Asra looked over to their roommate. Amber barely looked awake, her hair stuck up in the back, and she... was wearing their shirt? It wasn't strange for her to grab any clean article of clothing and plenty of times, Asra's clothes get adopted as her own. This morning felt different.

"Is that my shirt?" Asra asked.

"I'm surprised you recognized it completely buttoned up." Amber snarked. Asra playfully rolled their eyes and shook their head. They stood up and got to work on their breakfast. 

Asra glanced to Amber every once in a while, who was playing with Faust. The sight filled their heart. Their two favorite girls being cute, Amber wearing their shirt... 

Asra divided the scrambled eggs between two plates and set them on the table. Amber dug in like she hadn't eaten in years, as always. For such a small person, she could really put away her food. 

"Have I ever told you that you look cute wearing my clothes?" Asra asked her. 

"You say I look cute in everything." Amber replied, never quite believing their words. 

"You do." Asra said. "But you look particularly cute in my clothes." 

"Careful, Asra. I might just steal all your clothes for myself, if I really look so cute in them." Amber grinned. 

"Then what would I wear? Do I just go naked?" Asra joked. Amber's cheeks went red.

"Shut up and eat your eggs." She said, stuffing her mouth with eggs. Asra laughed their musical laugh and took a bite of eggs.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one takes place a bit earlier, before the main story.

Holding hands

The hustle and bustle of the market could easily overwhelm anyone, but one person in particular was especially susceptible to being easily overwhelmed. Amber looked all around her, eyes wide and trying to take everything in at once. There were so many things to look at, so many smells, so many people.

"Hey, look at me." Asra said, squeezing her hand. She looked to him, her expressive brown eyes the only indicator she was listening. She'd been "awake" for a couple months already, but she was unable to speak still. It was important she stuck with them because she would be unable to ask for help. And Asra couldn't lose her again.

"Amber, if everything gets too much for you, tug on my sleeve. We'll go straight home, alright?" Amber nodded and pointed to a stall that sold colorful silks. Asra smiled and led her by the hand to view the wares. 

Amber was captivated by a royal purple scarf. It was her favorite color and she had always been a sucker for accessories. Asra asked the seller for the price and handed her the correct amount of coins. It was a bit expensive, but the look on Amber's face was worth the price. Asra wrapped the scarf around her like they wore theirs. She looked stunning. 

A breeze blew and Amber caught a mouthwatering scent. The bakery. It was about that time when they got their pumpkin supply and made the most delicious loaves of pumpkin bread. 

"I smell it, too." Asra smiled. "Would you like to get some pumpkin bread before we go shopping for what we need?" Amber nodded excitedly. Hands entwined, they made their way through the crowd to the bakery.

The smells of fresh bread enveloped the duo. The bakery had a warmth to it, not just physically, but a warmth that you felt in your heart. Like coming home. It felt especially nice with Asra still holding her hand, even after they took their seats. 

Asra's hand was warm and a little rough, but very comforting. They ran their thumb across the lines of her palms. She watched their fingers move, then frowned. She moved their hands so they were palm-to-palm. Her skin looked unnaturally pale compared to Asra's, blue veins visible beneath ghost-white skin. Asra's golden-brown hand made hers look so small, so skinny. 

Asra threaded their fingers together and her worries melted away. Their smile made her forget whatever thoughts began seeping into her mind and focus on what was happening now. Like those two fresh loaves of pumpkin bread headed for their table.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This trope is one of my weaknesses. Don't judge me.

Having their hair washed by the other

\------------------

Amber was beet red and it wasn't because of the temperature of the water. Leave it to her to trip while out with Nadia and land right on her hand, spraining her wrist. Nadia offered to help her out, which included bathing. Amber was just grateful Nadia had the bath filled with bubbles. 

The scent of lavender and jasmine surrounded her, then Nadia's graceful fingers ran through her hair. The Countess gently lathered the sweet-smelling shampoo into Amber's short hair. Amber's eyes slipped shut. At first, it was to keep suds from burning her eyes, but Nadia's fingers in her hair felt so good, her whole body relaxed under her touch. If she were a cat, she'd be purring by now.

Nadia's melodic laugh echoed in the bathroom.

"Does this feel good? I must admit, your hair feels so nice. It must be so easy to take care of. Mine takes four servants to properly style and manage." Nadia commented.

"I like your hair." Amber said. 

"As do I, but I do sometimes wonder what it would be like to have short hair." 

"You should do it." Amber said.

"Really? I haven't cut my hair in years, and even then, it was only about an inch." Nadia replied. 

"I know that whenever I get my hair cut, it feels so good. Last time, I couldn't stop touching it." Amber reached back to feel the shorter locks at the back of her head. Nadia thought it over as she rinsed the soap out of the young magician's hair. 

"Perhaps I could try something new." Nadia said. Amber turned around to face Nadia and examined her with a critical eye.

"Maybe start with it up to here." Amber reached a dripping hand up to a spot just at Nadia's shoulder. "That way you can still style it up if you want."

"I shall tell my stylist to cut it for me as soon as we are done here." Nadia said. She reached for a cloth, lathered it with soap, and then helped Amber scrub her back.


	4. Chapter 4

One falling asleep with their head in the other's lap.

\------------------------------

It wasn't unusual for Amber and Julian to sit for hours, just reading in a cozy corner of the shop. It had been a slow day, so Amber sat in bed, reading a new book Julian had brought her. They were stories of ghosts, spirits, and monsters - her favorite sort of books.

Julian, with his head in her lap, looked up from his own book to observe his companion. Amber had a slight frown from concentration, but otherwise looked impassive. 

"I don't know how you can read that with such a straight face." Julian commented. Amber glanced down at him and smiled. She ran her fingers through his messy curls.

"Not all of us are big babies." She answered casually, flipping the page. He frowned at her, though the smile on his lips showed he wasn't truly offended. 

"Seriously. Don't they scare you?" Julian asked.

"Rarely. But only if I read them right before bed and I'm alone in the shop." 

"Does anything scare you?" Julian questioned. 

"Yes. Dramatic plague doctors breaking into my shop in the middle of the night." Amber quipped. 

"Ah, yes, I remember the bottle. But seriously, what does scare you?" Julian asked. Amber thought about it.

"Puppets." She answered.

"Puppets?" 

"Yes! They look like little people, but they're not! And they stare at you with their dead eyes like they want to consume your soul." Amber shivered and returned to her book. 

Amber continued running her fingers through Julian's hair. She was just considering stopping at the end of her current chapter when she heard the snore. A smile crossed her lips. Julian had fallen asleep in her lap. 

Amber couldn't move now. Julian hardly got enough sleep as it was and he deserved any moment of peace he could get. She smoothed back his hair from his face. He looked so peaceful when asleep. 

In that moment, Amber felt so lucky to have such a beautiful man in her life. Julian cared so much for others, he was charming and funny, and he made her feel so alive whenever they were together. There was so much more to him than meets the eye, more than he gave himself credit for.

His brow twitched in this sleep, then the corner of his mouth. He must be dreaming. A devious thought flitted through her mind.

"Julian..." She whispered. "Take the pickles and save the puppies from the bread people!" Julian mumbled and continued snoring. Amber contained her giggles and tried again. 

"Think of the puppies, Julian!" She whispered once more.

"I'll save the puppies..." Julian mumbled. It took all of Amber's strength not to burst out laughing. Oh, Julian was precious!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am guilty of doing the talk-to-someone-sleeping-and-change-their-dream thing irl, but I used it for evil and gave my cousin a nightmare.


	5. Chapter 5

Take care of them when sick

 

"Wake up, sleepy head!" Asra gently shook Amber awake, but she groaned and wrapped her blanket more securely around her body.

"Can't. I'm sick." She answered hoarsely. Asra frowned. Always cautious when she's sick, he places a hand on her forehead to check for a fever. She was warm, but not fever warm. 

"What's wrong?" Asra asked.

"My throat hurts and my head hurts." She whined. 

"Do you need a doctor?" He asked.

"Only if he's cute." Amber mumbled into her pillow. Asra smiled and shook his head. 

"Want some tea?" Asra asked.

"Yes, please." Asra went downstairs to get to work on her tea. The stove was lit and the water was boiling when the back door unlocked and in strode Julian. 

"Amber, my darling!" Julian greeted, but froze upon seeing Asra. "Oh, it's you."

"Hello, Ilya." Asra greeted.

"Where's our sunshine?" Julian asked, sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Still in bed. She's sick." Asra answered. Julian looked concerned.

"Is she okay?" Julian questioned. 

"Yes. I think it's just a cold, so I'm making her some tea." Asra explained. From upstairs, they heard Amber let out a loud sneeze. 

"I'll go check on her." Julian stood up and climbed the stairs. 

"How are you feeling, my dear?" Julian asked.

"Juliaaaaaaaan! I'm siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick!" Amber whined. "You're a doctor, make me better!" Julian smiled and sat beside her on the bed. 

"Let's see..." Julian already knew she had a cold, but he played along. "No fever, you don't have the plague... looks like you have a terrible cold. Keep warm and have plenty of vegetables and you'll be good as new."

"Keep me warm." Amber grabbed his jacket and tugged him closer. He laid with his back against the headboard and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She curled up against his side and sighed in contentment. Not too long later, Asra came up with a steaming cup of cinnamon tea. 

"Here you go. This should help." Asra set the cup on the bedside table. Amber climbed over Julian, practically draping herself over his lap, to reach the cup. She carefully settled back, breathing in the sweet-smelling steam. She took a sip and savored the heat as it coated her sore throat. 

"Did I put enough honey?" Asra asked.

"It's perfect." Amber replied. 

"Do you need anything else?" Asra asked.

"Can you make sopa?" Amber asked. Asra froze. He hasn't made that for her since... *before*. She looked concerned at his hesitation, so he put on a smile to put her at ease. 

"Of course."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got sick, so I wrote this to make me feel better. 
> 
> Also, sopa de estrellitas is great and I haven't eaten it since I was a kid.


	6. Tradition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am going to stick my fluffy one shots here from now on. Enjoy this Valerius x OC Christmas fic.

It was Vesuvia's first Yule Ball. The first of many, meant to replace Lucio's masquerade and honor the people of Vesuvia, rather than celebrate the birth of the city's most incompetent count. It had originally been the young apprentice's idea and agreed upon by the new court. 

The halls of the palace were decorated in greenery and red and gold fabrics. A great pine tree sat in the ballroom, decorated with shiny glass ornaments and magical lights. The children of the city also had their own homemade ornaments scattered over the tree. 

Consul Valerius stood to the side of the ballroom, sipping a glass of rosé. He watched the revelers enjoying the party, specifically one guest. Her name was Omayra Sebastiana. At least, that was her stage name. She was Vesuvia's Nightingale. In the last year, she had gotten quite famous for her beautiful voice and had been recruited by Vesuvia's most elite theater. And tonight, she gave a wonderful performance for all attending the ball. 

He watched her from afar as she mingled with guests and fans, smiled charmingly at their jokes... And slipped away the second people weren't looking. He picked up another glass and a bottle of the rosé he'd been drinking and followed her out to the balcony. 

She stood looking out over the city. The moonlight gleamed off the jewels in her hair and brought out the sparkles on her dress. She was breathtaking. But something about the way she stared out into the darkness made her seem... melancholy. Valerius joined her side and offered her a glass. 

"Thank you, Consul." she said, accepting the glass. 

"Something on your mind?" Valerius asked. 

"I suppose I'm not quite used to all this finery. I needed a bit of a break." she responded before taking a sip of her wine. 

"How so?" Valerius asked. He's seen her at many high-society events, always in a beautiful gown and sparkling with jewels. 

"No matter how many fancy parties I'm invited to, I'm still just a girl from the flooded district." She looked back towards the party inside. "None of them ever cared about me until I started to sing." She took a long sip of her wine. Valerius did the same. 

"That explains your insistence to help the flooded district." Valerius commented. 

"No one cared before. I just might be our only voice for the flooded district." she answered. 

"I'm sorry. It's my fault the flooded district became so bad. Under Lucio's rule, the court became corrupted, myself included. The city's upkeep fell to the wayside." Valerius truly felt bad for this. He had a job and he failed. But things were different. He was free of The Devil's influence. "I have been formulating plans to better the city. Perhaps if we work together, we can create a solution best suited for the flooded district?" 

"Really? You would do this?" she asked. 

"Yes. I have ignored the needs of the city for far too long." Valerius said. 

"Thank you, Consul." she smiled. Her genuine smile looked so much more beautiful than the one she gave the public. 

"Call me Valerius." he insisted. "Now tell me, how does the flooded district celebrate Yule?" Her smile lit up her face. 

"We were always too poor to afford a tree, but we do find a sprig or two of pine in the woods and decorate our door with it. And see those lights out there?" She asked, pointing to lights seen flickering out in the city. "We come together and build these bonfires in the street. Then we take some symbol of our problems from the past year and throw it into the fire, to pray for better luck in the coming year. And we dance and sing and play music." She sighed wistfully. 

"This is the first year I've spent away from all that. I'm thankful for the Countess to invite me as her personal guest, but in all honesty, I'd much rather be out there, with my family."

"The night is still young. If you take my carriage, you can make it before midnight." Valerius offered. 

"Thank you, but I can't leave yet. I... It sounds silly, but I promised my sister I would bring back a souvenir from the palace. But I could never get alone long enough to look." she said. Valerius looked around them, then noticed a potted plant covered in small golden bells. He plucked a bell from the branches and offered it to Omayra. 

"Like this?" He asked. She gasped and took it from his hand. 

"It's perfect! Thank you, Con- erm... Valerius." 

"Shall we, Miss Sebastiana?" Valerius asked, offering his arm. 

"Nicoletta."

"Hmm?" Valerius questioned. 

"My stage name is Omayra, but my _real_ name is Nicoletta." she replied. 

"Nicoletta." Her name tasted sweet on his tongue, sweeter than any wine. They began to walk back into the palace when Nicoletta stopped him. He glanced at her, then following her gaze upward, noticed what hung above them over the doorway. 

"Mistletoe." She gazed at him with sparkling eyes, expectant. Valerius felt himself blush. 

"I suppose... It is tradition..." He angled his head down to bring his lips to hers. It was a sweet kiss, innocent, and both parties felt it ended all too soon. When they parted, she had a tinge of pink on her cheeks to match his. They took secret passages through the palace to smuggle her out of there unnoticed. Upon getting to the carriage, he said his goodbyes. 

"Come with me." she said. Unable to ignore the eagerness in her eyes, Valerius found himself climbing in with her. 

... 

"Good morning, Valerius." Nadia greeted him at breakfast. 

"Good morning, Countess." he replied. 

"It was quite the party last night. Though, from what I hear, you left early. I heard you were seen down in the flooded district?" Nadia smiled like she knew everything. 

Yes, Valerius had followed Nicoletta to the flooded district. While most had been upset with his presence, Nicoletta's mother welcomed him with open arms. Her sister was so excited to receive the bell, it might as well have been a diamond necklace. Cheap liquor was passed around and songs were sung off-key, but with Nicoletta by his side, it felt no different than the ball they just escaped from. 

They celebrated well into the morning, leaving just as light began to creep up on the horizon. They returned to the palace and Valerius invited her to stay in his rooms. In all honesty, they did nothing more than sleep, but feeling her cuddle against his side felt right. And don't get him started on waking up beside her. She was the most beautiful creature when her hair was mussed from sleep. Blurry eyes and morning breath included. 

He had it bad. 

Valerius avoided Nadia's teasing gaze and focused on his breakfast. Until a certain voice brought that blush back to his cheeks. 

"Good morning, Countess. Mind if I join you for breakfast?" 

"Good morning, Nicoletta. Please, have a seat." Nicoletta sat across from Valerius, smiling at him as a servant placed a plate of food in front of her. She looked stunning. She wore an outfit provided by Nadia - a sparkling cerulean dress - and had done her hair and makeup. 

"So, any plans for today?" Nadia asked. 

"Actually, yes. Consul Valerius has agreed to work with me to formulate plans for the city. If you don't mind, of course. I have plenty of ideas that could benefit Vesuvia." Nicoletta said. 

"Of course. I would love to hear what you have to say." As the women spoke, Valerius felt Nicoletta could easily have a career in the court. She certainly had the brains and determination to get things done. And they needed more people like her. 

He was looking forward to working with her.


End file.
